Photo By Sgt. Andrea Notter | Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment (Widowmakers), 101st Airborne...... read more read more
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WIDOWMAKER SPUR RIDE
1-75th Cav. Soldiers take on traditional challenge to earn coveted prize
Story by Pvt. Andrea Notter, 40th Public Affairs Detachment
Earning one’s spurs gives a great sense of pride and is a vital part of the Cavalry culture.
“It’s important to all the leaders of the organization and anyone who is a part of the Cavalry tradition,” said Cpt. Robert Pichini, main spur ride organizer for the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “It builds the espirit de corps and it keeps us rooted in our traditions, which we always know is so important in the Army, to remember where we came from.”
This year, 167 Soldiers of 1-75th Cav. Regt., set out Oct. 29 to earn their silver spurs by completing a grueling spur ride.
The Widowmakers followed a long tradition that began when Cavalry units were first activated. A spur ride was once part of an initiation process for new recruits to earn their first spurs. Early spur candidates were often referred to as “shaved tails,” referencing back to when new recruits were given horses with shaved tails. By the time the tails grew back, the recruits were ready to receive their spurs.
Today, there are two spurs a Soldier can earn. When a Soldier deploys with a Cavalry unit in a combat environment he or she earns gold spurs, also known as combat spurs. After the completion of a spur ride, a Soldier earns silver spurs.
“A spur ride has evolved into a team building event, where you have a series of physical and mental tasks,” Pichini said.
This spur ride in particular featured a 9.5-mile road march to the air assault obstacle course on post, followed by an air movement to the spur stations where teams were tested on basic Soldier skills. The event lasts about 36 hours and includes 14 hours of training through the night with only an hour or two of rest.
The expectation throughout the spur ride is for members of a team to work together and support one another so the team can finish as a group while building esprit de corps and camaraderie along the way.
“It’s generally a high success rate because the events are designed to be built around a team feature,” Pichini said. “So, if a single candidate is struggling then his teammates are going to share that weight and get him or her to the finish line.”
To participate in a spur ride on Fort Campbell candidates must pass basic physical readiness requirements, prove air assault proficiency and earn Combat Lifesaver or Eagle First Responder qualification.
While the majority of the candidates were junior enlisted, Soldiers of all ranks participated. Squadron Commander
Lieutenant Colonel Jaron Wharton, squadron commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Rish, squadron senior enlisted adviser, were among the candidates.
“This is actually the seventh spur ride that Command Sgt. Maj. Rish has done,” Pichini said. “He continues to do them as a candidate because he wants to be there doing the training with these Soldiers, and it’s important for him to stay in tune with the junior Soldiers of the organization.”
Each spur ride is personalized to reflect the histories of the unit and the installation. Because the 1-75th Cav. Regt. Spur ride took place on Fort Campbell the unit incorporated air movement and the air assault obstacle course.
The spur ride culminated with a spur board that tested the teams as a whole to come up with the right answers in a less formal academic board environment. Many of the questions covered the history of the Cavalry, as well as the 1-75th Cav. Regt.
The candidates who successfully completed all tasks attended a spur dinner, where they received their silver spurs.
“It’s like an awards ceremony,” Pichini said. “We have a meal together as a group, they’ll bring their Families in, and then we will award them their certificate and spurs. Each candidate has a sponsor, someone who means something to them personally, like a squad leader or a section leader, who will physically come up and put their spurs on them for the first time.”
Although Cavalry units no longer use horses, earning one’s spurs through a spur ride carries on the enduring tradition.
“We are retaining our Cavalry traditions as we transition into a newer Army that isn’t a horseback Cavalry anymore,” Pichini said, “but then also retaining the traditions, the values and the brotherhood and sisterhood of the Cavalry community.”
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 02.21.2020 15:54 |
| Story ID: | 363654 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 632 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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